my recipes, Italian and otherwise

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder and Pork Tacos

I’ve been thinking about slow roasting a pork shoulder for a while now. I’ve always thought it was some big endeavor with an expensive piece of meat, but it turns out I was totally wrong. The meat was very inexpensive and it couldn’t have been easier. A dry rub on the outside, and you put it in the oven for a good long time. It comes out glistening and golden with a meaty, heavenly aroma that perfumes the whole apartment. No one can resist picking at it before it cools, either. And pork shoulder is so versatile, you could make it into tacos or any other Mexican food, or you could make a ragu, bbq pulled pork, or anything else porky you can think of.

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

1 pork shoulder

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 sprigs of rosemary

6 garlic cloves, chopped

Combine the spices, brown sugar, and garlic together. Score the skin through the fat layer but not into the meat in about a 1 inch cross-hatch. Rub the spice rub all over the pork shoulder, making sure to get inside the cuts. Place the shoulder into a baking dish with some of the rosemary sprigs below. Add a couple on top and a couple extra whole garlic cloves if you want.

Put in a 350 degree oven for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender and you can pull it apart with a fork. The skin should be crispy and the meat moist.

Pork Tacos

2-3 ounces shredded roasted pork shoulder

2 tablespoons grated cheddar

1 corn tortilla

2 tablespoons guacamole

hot sauce

Put the tortilla in a frying pan with a sprinkle of olive oil and spread the grated cheddar on top. The tortilla will brown a little and the cheese will melt. Remove from the pan and add the warm pork along with the guacamole and a sprinkle of hot sauce. Or add any other toppings you like for tacos!

Guacamole

1 avocado

Juice and zest of 2 limes

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey

1 teaspoon aleppo pepper or cayenne if you like it spicier

1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine the lime, shallot, and garlic together and let sit for 20 minutes so the shallot and garlic soften and bloom. Add the avocado, spices, agave, and olive oil and mash together with a fork. Add the tomatoes and stir through gently. Let sit for at least an hour for best flavor.